like an apple on a tree
hiding out behind the leaves
I was difficult to reach
but you picked me
like a shell upon a beach
just another pretty piece
I was difficult to see
but you picked me, yeah you picked me
Alison Sodul, better known as A Fine Frenzy, has been picked as our Artist of the Week. With two full length albums under her belt and a recent performance at the Lilith Fair, this redhead bombshell is climbing her way to the top of the Indie and Pop charts. She is one of the most popular singer/songwriters that many people don’t know about, until now!
A Fine Frenzy released her debut album, One Cell in the Sea in 2007. The album was filled with dark ballads. The album’s single “Almost Lover” was an instant hit and it put Alison on the musical map. VH1 gave her the “Artist You Must Know” label in 2008. The album really portrayed Alison as a prototypical piano, singer/songwriter type. You know, the dreaded “Good Girl” image.
With the success of the album, she immediately went on tour with some pretty quality names: Brandi Carlile and Rufus Wainwright. Carlile and Wainwright are known for their grit and vulnerability on stage and in the studio. While on tour, Alison got a first-hand view of their passionate performances, which translated into her sophomore release. Alison says, “I was tired and burned-out, and sick of being on the road, but I also had learned a lot from the musicians we had toured with and wanted to put it to use. I needed music to ground me, to figure life out and to make myself happy.”
While on tour, she also turned to some legends for guidance, “On tour, I discovered that, while I love being behind the piano and having quiet moments with the audience, I also love rocking out and having a good time. I started expanding my tastes, listening to as much music as I could get my hands on. Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and the Talking Heads changed my life.”
In August of 2009, Alison released her album, Bomb in a Birdcage. Although A Fine Frenzy doesn’t completely abandon her sound off her first record, this album just sounds bigger and more ambitious. Alison goes on to say, “On the first record, I felt very young, and I think I made up for it by being very serious… about everything… This time, I didn’t want to limit myself. I wanted to stretch and grow and push myself past my comfort zone. I also wanted to have fun.”
The album has some fun songs like, “Wouldn’t Do,” “Electric Twist” and “Blow Away.” It also contains some of what we heard on the first record like: “Swan Song,” “Bird of Summer” and “Beacon.” The album is definitely divided up into two parts. While the first part of the album is more fun-loving, the second part is more sedentary.
As far as red-heads go, A Fine Frenzy is at the top of my list; no disrespect to Florence Welch. A Fine Frenzy has a musical style that should appeal to most listeners.
Top 5 Songs
3. Almost Lover
5. Blow Away
Useful Links
Official Website (Stream her whole album for FREE)
Performing a cover of Michael Jackson’s The Way You Make Me Feel
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